Envy
by Hiiro-No-Ame
Summary: Will Toni and Steve let small problems come between them, or will they let envy separate them. Fem Tony, 4th in the series.


I don't own Avengers guys. Nor do I own anything created by Disney.

This is the fourth story in my Toni x Steve universe.

1. Changing Sides

2. Happy Anniversary

3. Sleeping

You don't have to read them, but this story does tie in with the others :)

* * *

"So he socked you?"

Toni rolled her eyes swiveled her chair to face Bruce for what seemed like the millionth time, "Not purposefully," she held up her hand to cut him off before he went on another tirade about abuse, and not taking it, and blah blah blah, she'd stopped listening after the fifth cycle of lecture, "look, I woke him up from a _nightmare_. One with a capitol N," Toni gave Bruce a pointed look, "Thor woke you up from a nightmare and you brofisted him through a wall."

Bruce had the grace to blush, before sliding his glasses farther up his face, "That's….different. I just," he looked at her imploringly, "look Toni; this is the first non-toxic relationship you've ever been in. I just don't want you to let anything happen because you're so desperate to keep him."

She shook her head and turned back to her work, mixing chemicals carefully, actually thinking about what she was going to say before she said it, "Look, I get that you're worried," she flipped him off when he gave an amused snort. She was the queen of understatements, "but if Steve ever hit me on purpose I'd break his face. He'd also find himself a few inches…_shorter._" She gave Bruce's crotch a pointed look, and smirked evilly when he crossed his legs defensivly.

"I know, but I needed to hear you say it," he got up holding a small beaker between tongs. He made a slow trek over to her work area, and leaned over her shoulder to pour his half of the mixture into hers slowly. This project was like… their baby of Science, and neither of them were willing to screw it up with any sudden movements or idiocies, "You're my friend Toni, but for a genius you have an astounding lack of common sense."

"No shit Sherlock," she glared at him playfully, letting him press closer to make sure the mixture was perfect, "That's what Steve is for. He has more common sense than anyone should know what to do with."

They laughed together quietly, and notice when the doors opened with a small whoosh, "Toni I….." Steve's voice trailed off slowly, "What are you…..doing?" Steve's voice was heavy with something Toni couldn't place, and she waited until the mixture was finished before turning to smile at him.

"Playing with acids. We're trying to create a toolie thingie for my suit; it'll break through rubble and debris without burning the hell out of anyone."

"Oh," he still sounded a bit odd, and he walked toward Toni purposefully, before kissing her soundly, holding her face in his hands firmly while making sure not to hurt her.

Toni sighed happily, while firmly denying that she had ever made such a girly sound. She curled her fingers in his golden hair happily, and let his lips slide over hers firmly. Something about the kiss seemed….off, but she pushed it to the back of her mind, and just enjoyed being surrounded by old spice and propaganda.

They continued on for a few seconds before Bruce cleared his throat pointedly. Toni smirked and pulled back slowly, without breaking her hold on Steve's hair. Steve's face had turned the most adorable, shade of red, and a delicious tremor went down her spine at the sight of his thoroughly kissed lips. She let go of him slowly and smirked cockily, "God bless America."

Steve gave her a reproachful look, but refrained from commenting, it wouldn't do him much good anyway. "I was wondering if you wanted to come watch a movie with me, it's something about these tiny robots in space and they're trying to fix earth."

"Uhhh…Wall-E?" Toni smiled softly, leave it to Steve to get entranced by Disney movies, "I'd like to," she gestured toward her work, "but I can't leave this right now. My science buddy here is good, but It takes a touch of," she popped and invisible collar, "true genius to finish a project like this."

Steve was about to say something, when a paper airplane zoomed by, and hit Toni lightly on the head, "I resent that," Bruce gave her a mischievous look and began building another plane.

"You would," she turned and threw the plane, in ball form, back at Bruce, "You're just mad because you're the dumber science buddy."

They threw paper at each other for a few seconds, before Toni turned back to talk to Steve, "but if you give me and hour I…" she trailed off and looked at the empty spot next to her curiously. When had Steve left? "Guess he really wanted to watch that movie."

Toni shook her head a bit, and let it fall from her thoughts smoothly. There was science to commit, and she didn't have time to worry about Disney movies. Steve could entertain himself for a few hours. She stared at the acid silently, before an idea began to slowly form in her mind. If they could use the molecules in rubble and metal to make an acid that only burned those specific molecules…why couldn't they make an acid that could only burn a group of living things? More specifically a homicidal dick with antlers?

"Hey Bruce," she motioned him over pensively, "I got a question for you. Kinda along the lines of a moral standpoint."

He swiveled over carefully and gave her a confused look, "Moral?"

Toni nodded and stared at the acid, "How…bad I guess, would it be to make an acid which only burnt an Asguardian?"

"Thor ate all the pop tarts again didn't he?"

"What…no… I didn't mean Thor. I meant antlers. How morally crooked would it be, to make an acid that burns _only_ Asguardians, specifically to use it on Loki?"

Bruce looked at her thoughtfully before answering slowly, "Well…it's not exactly…right I guess. But it's not the worst thing you could do, that's assuming you're only using it to _disable_ him_._ Not kill. Kill would be," he pushed his glasses up and looked at her, "really bad. You'd essentially be burning him to death if that was your plan." Bruce looked at her curiously, "How would you get it to burn like that though?"

"We'd need to use Thor's blood, isolate what makes him….Thor. Then take that part of his DNA and find the specific Asguardian things."

"This is assuming he lets you do this. You know how he feels about Loki," they both though back to the adopted speech, "I don't think he'll take too kindly to the idea."

"I'm not going to make a lot. Just…one vial should do. And I'm not gonna kill antlers, just hurt him. It's really no worse than blasting him with cannons, and throwing a metal shield at him."

Bruce nodded slowly, "The only thing is he's not full Asguardian right? Thor said he's a frost giant, so at best the acid would only irritate him."

Toni stood up stiffly and cracked her back, "Worth a shot. Anything we got over him is good in my book."

"Alright, you get to talk to Thor about this; I'm done punching him through walls."

Toni laughed and walked out of her lab confidently. This would be an easy task, once she convinced Thor she had no intentions, at least not too many, of killing Loki he'd go with it. She strode into the elevator and waited for it to take her to the common floor; it's usually where the pop tart thief….god of thunder was located. Well that and in bed with Jane, but Toni tried not to think about that and her depressing lack of a sex life.

She strode out of the elevator and looked around curiously, where was he?

"Toni!" She turned to see Steve sitting on the couch grinning brightly at her. Wall-e was playing on the TV in front of him, "did you come to watch…"

Toni waved him off impatiently, "Not now," she didn't have time for this shit, "where's Thor?"

She missed the hurt look that flashed across his face, before he turned back to the TV, almost sullenly, "I don't know."

She shook her head, dismissing him from her line of thought. She was on a _mission._ She _would_ find Thor, or she'd tear down this building looking for him. "Jarvis!"

"Miss Stark?"

"Where's Thor?" She waited, all of five seconds, impatiently for Jarvis to locate the suddenly elusive god of thunder.

"He's in his room Miss. Stark."

"Is he decent?" No way in hell was she walking in on him and Jane…..again….for the tenth time.

"He seems to have just finished a shower, he should be somewhat dressed."

"Good enough," she strode toward the elevator with purpose, but was stopped by Steve's voice.

"Toni!" He scrambled toward her, movie completely forgotten, "Jarvis said he just finished a shower, for all you know he could be," Steve looked like he swallowed something distasteful, "naked. Didn't you ask Jarvis if he was decent?"

"Look Steve," she really didn't have time for his 40's sensibilities right now, she needed to commit science, "I've seen enough naked men in my life, what's one more naked ass in my face?" She strode toward the elevator, completely missing the wounded look on Steve's face, "Thor has something I _need_. I only asked because I'm tired of walking in on him and Jane."

She strode into the elevator and shut the doors on him soundly. A small part of her felt bad for ignoring Steve so much, especially since they'd been spending almost every minute together for the past few months. Hell they were actually sharing a room now, not that anything was going on, as much as she wished otherwise. They just curled up on her bed together, and slept. On _really_ good nights they'd make-out. Part of Toni felt a bit like a teenager, she hadn't had sex in….too long, and it didn't seem like any was coming her way soon. She was okay with that, but no sex after a long life of sex tended to make people irritable. She'd compensated by focusing on science.

She strode down the hall, determined to convince Thor to go along with her plan, mentally making a note to set aside time tonight to watch Wall-E with Steve.

* * *

(A/N): So I've noticed that in all my stories with Toni and Steve so far, most of the problems that happen are caused by Steve. It's not because I don't like him (I love him) I just wanted to give them a more human vibe. And Toni already has a lot of faults. And in this story, she's not trying to be mean, but I think once she decides to do something, nothing else matters until its done.


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